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Activation of the major constituents of tissue and air by a fast neutron radiation therapy beam
Author(s) -
Ten Haken Randall K.,
Awschalom Miguel,
Rosenberg Ivan
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.595326
Subject(s) - nuclear medicine , neutron , radiochemistry , neutron capture , volume (thermodynamics) , dosimetry , neutron radiation , induced radioactivity , beam (structure) , materials science , medicine , chemistry , nuclear physics , physics , optics , quantum mechanics
The production of 1 1 C, 1 3 N, 1 5 O from C, N, O, and of 3 9 Cl and 4 1 Ar from Ar by a p (66)Be(49) clinical neutron therapy beam has been measured. The results of these measurements were used to estimate the production of other radionuclides, then to estimate airborne radioactivity in a typical neutron therapy room and radioactivity induced in body tissues during treatment. Only under special circumstances would airborne radioactivity necessitate a waiting period before entering a typical treatment room. The additional dose to a treatment volume due to decay products from radioactivity induced within that volume would amount to a few thousandths of the given dose and the additional body dose outside the treated volume would be a few millionths of the given dose.